Patriots Journal: No-huddle might be a no-go in Seattle

Tuesday

It’s going to be more difficult for the Patriots to use their no-huddle offense this week than it was last Sunday against the Broncos.

FOXBORO — It’s going to be more difficult for the Patriots to use their no-huddle offense this week than it was last Sunday against the Broncos.

The crowd will not be as friendly. The Pats go to Seattle where the fans at CenturyLink Field are the Seahawks’ 12th man.

“This is an incredible place to play,” Josh McDaniels, New England’s offensive coordinator, said Tuesday.

“I’ve had an opportunity to be there three or four times, and it never disappoints in terms of how loud and how vocal they’re going to be,” he said.

“I think it’s a great environment to play in. Certainly, for us on offense it will be important for us to do a good job of communicating and paying attention to all the little details so that we make sure that we can work together and try to execute our assignments as best we can.”

Coach Bill Belichick echoes McDaniels’ comments.

“It might be the loudest stadium that we’ve been in, and we’re in a lot of loud ones,” coach Bill Belichick said. “I’d put that one right up there. Their fans are vocal. It was really loud when we were out there before, four years ago. … I forget what their record was, it was like 2-10, not very good, something like that, and there was a lot of energy, lot of enthusiasm, and a great atmosphere for football.”

Belichick said that the Seahawk crowd gives its team a huge advantage.

“The crowd is totally into it; they do a great job of being loud, causing false start penalties and things like that on the offense,” Belichick said. “Seattle has historically played very well at home, it’s a huge home-field advantage for them. Record-wise, their record at home has been amongst the best in the National Football League.”

Interestingly, the trip to Seattle in 2008 (the Pats survived, 24-21) is the only one the team has made since 1993. Seattle started in the NFC West in 1976, was switched to the AFC West the next year and then switched back to the NFC West in 2002.

No-huddle non-answer

McDaniels was asked if the crowd noise might make the Pats less inclined to use the no-huddle offense.

“I think the most important thing is that we’re doing something, whatever that is, if we choose to play fast, we’re doing something that we know how to execute ourselves,” said McDaniels. “I think everything starts with our own execution and our own ability for all 11 of us to work on the same page on every play. Sometimes that seems to be better playing at the line of scrimmage and other times it’s much better playing from the huddle.

“This isn’t something that’s brand-new for (the Patriots), this organization and certainly not this offense,” he pointed out. “I know we had done it in the past; I know Billy [former offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien] did a great job with it in the last few years. It’s something that if we feel can help us be successful and help us win the game then we usually carry it into that week’s game plan.”

About those Seahawks

Just about every week, Belichick begins his discussion of that week’s opponent by referring to that team’s strong points. Most fans might think of running back Marshawn Lynch, one of the league’s best, as the Seahawks’ strong point. But he was only third on Belichick’s list for the Seahawks, behind special teams and defense.

“I’d say the things that really jump out are their overall playmaking ability (in the) kicking game,” he said. “They return kicks, they block them, they cover them. They’re leading the league in kickoff returns, leading the league in kickoff coverage. They really have a lot of players that are very impact-type guys in the kicking game, with good specialists.”

Then there is the defense. The Seahawks lead the league in yards allowed, at 258.6 per game, and they are second (to San Francisco) in points allowed at only 14 a game.

‘Defensively, they’re big in the secondary, probably the biggest secondary in the league,” Belichick said. “ (They have) big corners, physical, fast linebackers, a real active front. They play a lot of different people up there, but they’re all playing type guys. I’ve been really impressed watching (Bradon) Mebane and (Red) Bryant and (Bruce) Irvin and of course (Chris) Clemons, (Alan) Branch, (Jason) Jones. They’re a real good group.”

Lynch impresses

Belichick did not forget Lynch. He came in for considerable praise.

“The number of yards he gets after contact is very impressive,” Belichick said. “Whether he runs through a tackle or whether he just uses his quickness to make the guy who should really make the tackle miss him.

"He has great feet, good balance. He’s a powerful guy. There are times when he does get tackled, but a lot of times it’s with three or four extra yards because of his good level and his ability to maintain his leg drive through contact. . . Absolutely, he’s one of the best.”

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